Published: May 17, 2008 02:00 am            

Berkeley Springs’ Mock wins long jump, upset in high jump

CHARLESTON — Berkeley Springs’ Meghan Mock won her first individual title at this year’s state track meet Friday in what she hoped would be a steady trip to the awards stand.

But not long after winning the Class AA long jump, Mock was defeated by Sissonville’s Sydney Cummings in the high jump, thwarting Mock’s dreams of capturing four individual crowns.

That left only Buckhannon-Upshur’s Chelsea Carrier in 2007 and 2006, Valley Fayette’s Andrea Perry in 2000 and Ravenswood’s Jill Balis in 1989 as the only girls believed to win four individual events at the state meet.

“It definitely would have been nice,” Mock said. “It happens. It’s kind of cold.”

West Fairmont’s Valarie Jasper qualified for the 100-meter finals Friday with a time of 12.81.

East Fairmont’s boys’ team picked up one point when its shuttle hurdle relay team came in sixth with a time of 59.03.

The chill and light rain put a damper on many performances. Mock’s winning leap of 17 feet, 5 3/4 inches was shy of the record of 17-11 she set last year in the long jump.

Mock had hoped to improve on her state record, but her longest jump of the year entering the state meet was 17-10, and she couldn’t get comfortable on the runway.

“I couldn’t get my steps for the first flight of three,” she said. “The second flight was better steps but worse jumps.”

Cummings cleared 5-6 to win the high jump, then failed to clear 5-8 1/4 in an attempt to break Mock’s state record of 5-8 set last year. Mock finished second at 5-4, failing to win the event for the fourth straight year.

Mock called it somewhat disappointing because this is her senior year. But she quickly shook off the setback to cheer on her teammates in the shuttle hurdle relay.

She’s still looking to win three events for the third straight time.

“I want more. We’ll see what happens,” she said.

In between the long jump and high jump, Mock qualified third Friday for Saturday’s 100-meter hurdles final behind Winfield’s Morganne Bennett and Weir’s Kandis Castelli.

“It was only the semifinals. The finals are what matters,” she said.

Asked whether she had her sights set on being the top qualifier, she added, “I cared, but I’m not going to freak out about it yet.”

The West Virginia University track signee also is the state recordholder in the 300 hurdles, which will be contested on Saturday. She has the top qualifying time at 47.08.

Two state records were set Friday.

Doddridge County’s Levi Grandt won the Class A 3,200 for the second time in three years. His time of 9:22.26 broke the mark of 9:38.45 set by Wheeling Central’s Bobby Herron in 2005. Grandt is a two-time state champion in cross country. He missed most of the 2007 track season with a stress fracture.

Wheeling Park finished the Class AAA girls shuttle hurdle relay in 1:04.52, breaking by 0.01 the record set by John Marshall in 1997.

Weir’s Stewart Jones, who won last year’s Class A 3,200 after another competitor was disqualified the day after the race, captured the event again in 9:40.17, four seconds better than his 2007 time.

Woodrow Wilson’s Marquel Ali (10.79) was the top qualifier Friday in the boys Class AAA 100 heats, while Jefferson teammates Chelsea Flinchum (12.65) and Brittany Carr (12.75) led the girls.

Point Pleasant’s Mallory Nowlin was the top qualifier in the Class AA girls 100 and 200 heats.

South Harrison’s Olivia Lambert, the state recordholder in the Class A 100 hurdles, was disqualified from the event. She entered the meet with the fastest time.

Richwood led the boys Class A team standings by one point over Wheeling Central, while Williamstown led defending champion Doddridge County in the girls standings.

Defending champion Winfield led both the boys and girls Class AA standings. Berkeley Springs and Philip Barbour were tied for second among the girls, and Webster County was second among the boys.

Cabell Midland led defending champion Wheeling Park in Class AAA boys while Preston led Hurricane in the girls meet.

        

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